Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Larius Firetongue's School of Sorcery Excerpt: the Bard Class

In some
lands they are known as sha’ir, poets who communicate with spirits in exchange
for knowledge and magical power. In others they are skalds, warriors who retell
the deeds of legendary heroes to inspire their fellows in battle. And in the
distant south they are griots, lorekeepers who pass down the history and
traditions of their people. Whatever form they take, bards are learned folk who
express their knowledge through performance and magical powers.

Prime Attribute: Intelligence and Charisma 13+ (a bard
character gains a +5% experience bonus only if all of their prime attributes are 13 or higher)

Hit Dice: 1d6/level (a bard gains just one
hp/level after 9th)

Armor/Shield Permitted: Bards can only wear leather armor
and use shields.

Weapons Permitted: Bards can use any weapon they can
get their hands on, although they need at least one hand free in order to play
an instrument and cast spells.

Bards can
only work their magic when able to perform. They tap into the collective
consciousness of mortal culture and emotion as expressed through song, tales,
and all manner of art throughout the ages. Much like a cleric’s holy symbol or
a druid’s mistletoe, a bard needs a musical instrument to focus their spells.
Singing, dancing, and similar performances are an exception to this, but
require the bard's hands to be free as they gesticulate for dramatic effect.

Class Abilities

Spell Casting

Bards cast
spells from a specific list. Like magic-users they carry a spellbook known as a
bardic journal which they use to prepare their spells each day. The spellbooks
of bards and magic-users are cross-compatible yet limited; a magic-user can
transcribe spells from a bardic journal provided that said spell is on the
magic-user spell list, and vice-versa.

The contents
of bardic journals appear much like a private diary, with haphazard notes,
musical sheets, and all manner of trivia with little rhyme or reason.

Whether
they’re a warrior-poet, traveling minstrel, or esteemed spiritualist, bards
find it easy to influence people. As long as they’re in a settlement of at
least 100 people, a bard can find basic accommodations at an inn or similar
place of service for a party of five provided they entertain patrons.

Additionally,
a bard can roll 1d20 once per day whenever they’re in a similarly-sized
settlement (magic schools, roaming armies, and the like count for this). If the
result is less than or equal to their Charisma, they pick up a piece of
information about latest gossip and upcoming events which folks might otherwise
only volunteer to trusted friends and not complete strangers.

Citizen of the World

Bards pick
up many phrases, stories, and speech patterns of different lands as well as
their writing. Starting at 2nd level a bard gains fluency in a bonus language,
and another language at every even-numbered level thereafter.

Fascinate

A bard’s
performance is mesmerizing, whatever form it takes. When outside of combat a
bard is capable of entrancing 2d4 + level in Hit Dice worth of spectators.
Those with Hit Dice greater than or equal to the bard’s can roll a saving throw
to resist, but those affected become distracted and unaware of their
surroundings. This can allow thieves to sneak around or enemy soldiers to mount
a surprise attack.

This effect
immediately ends if at least one member of the audience is attacked or killed
in an obvious fashion, or if a person or event interrupts the bard’s
performance.

May Use Thief Items

Bards can
use any magic items usable by Thieves, plus any magic weapons, armor (leather
only), and shields.

Establish College

At 9th
level, the bard may establish or become leader of a bardic college. Such places
act as centers of learning for new initiates, and contain much in the way of
art, music, and culture. The bard will attract students and teachers over time
seeking to learn by their example.

Bard Spell List

Spells
marked with an asterisk (*) are detailed in the New Spells section on page xx.

1st: Charm
Person, Detect Magic, Good Cheer*, Keen Ear*, Read Languages, Read Magic, Song
of the First Era*, Song of the Hopeful Knight*

6th:
Conjuration of Elementals, Feeblemind, Mass Charm, Song of the Last Great Hero*

New Spells

Crescendo

Level: Bard
3

Range: 30’
radius

The caster
produces a high-pitched note. Targets within range take 1d6 damage per level of
the cast, and fragile objects with a low natural resonance (crystals, glass,
etc) shatter. A successful saving throw means that the target takes only half
damage.

This spell
takes the form of a recited song or tale, taking 1 round to cast. Upon
completion, all undead within range of the spellcaster feel an overwhelming
compulsion to dance for the duration of the spell. Mindless undead are
automatically affected, while intelligent undead can resist with a saving
throw. Dancing undead have a 50% chance per round to fight or cast spells
normally, otherwise they spend the entire round dancing. Regardless of the
result, dancing undead can only move at half speed.

The caster
can only affect a number of undead whose total Hit Dice is twice his own.

Good Cheer

Level: Bard 1

Duration: 8 hours

Range: 60’ radius

After
casting this spell, those resting nearby the bard find their spirits uplifted.
When recovering damage naturally from uninterrupted rest, a character heals 1
hit point plus 1 hit point per level of the bard provided they remain within
the spell’s radius. For example, someone resting while under the benefit of
this spell cast by a fifth-level Bard heals 6 hit points per day.

Keen Ear**

Level: Bard
1, Unseen 1

Duration: 6
turns

Range: Touch

The subject
gains the ability to hear noise as a level 3 thief. If the character already
has the ability to hear noise at an exceptional level, this grants a further +1
on his hear noise checks.

Righteous Castigation

Level: Bard 2

Duration: 1d6 turns

Range: 30’

The caster
condemns the target for their shortfalls and misdeeds. If the target
fails a saving throw, they suffer a +2 penalty (-2 if ascending) on Armor Class as they’re
rattled by the words. Lawful targets gain a +2 bonus on their Saving Throw, and mindless beings and those of pure evil such as demons have no conscience and are immune to this
spell.

Song of the First Era

Level: Bard 1

Duration: Instantaneous

Range: N/A

This spell
takes the form of a recited song or tale, taking 3 rounds to cast. Upon
completion the bard makes an Intelligence roll in regards to recalling
information, treating their attribute as 4 points higher for this purpose. If
successful, a part of the performance provides an insightful piece of lore
relevant to the situation at hand.

Song of the Hopeful Knight

Level: Bard 1

Duration: Concentration or until dispelled

Range: 60’ radius

This spell takes the form of a recited song or tale, taking 1 round to cast.
Upon completion all allies within range gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls. This
bonus persists for as long as the bard concentrates or until the spell is
dispelled.

Song of the Last Great Hero

Level: Bard 6

Duration: Concentration or until dispelled

Range: 30’

This spell
takes the form of a recited song or tale, taking 1 round to cast. Upon
completion a spectral spirit of 16 HD appears, who was a renowned mortal in
their old life. The spirit obeys the cast only for as long as the caster
concentrates on it, after which they will discorporate and return to their home
plane.

This spell
takes the form of a recited song or tale, taking 1 round to cast. Upon
completion all allies within the radius gain morale (if said ally is not a
player character) and gain a +2 bonus on saving throws versus spells and
effects which would cause fear or alter their mental state such as charm person and confusion. If any allies are under said effects when the spell is
cast, they immediately gain a new saving throw to resist.

Tongues

Level: Bard 2, Magic-User 3

Duration: 1 hour per level

Range: Touch

The target
of this spell gains the ability to speak and understand any verbal language,
but not to read or write it.

**Keen Ear first appeared in Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts by Dyson Logos.